In a large and diverse community like York, it is important that everyone feels a sense of belonging and common purpose. Our students, staff and faculty are committed to providing an inclusive, connected and healthy space. All community members should have a say in shaping our collective future.
As part of our focus on sustainability, York was named one of Canada’s greenest employers for the eighth year in a row. When the pandemic struck, York took action to support our community members by rapidly producing hundreds of litres of hand sanitizer from ingredients in the science stores. Alumnus Brendan McNaughton came to the rescue and donated virtual reality artspace to students who did not have a place to show their art.
See other ways we continue to support our campus community.
330,000
York alumni around the world
$12
million awarded to 4,458 students
$50
million raised by The Campaign for York University
188
School of Arts, Media, Performance and Design performances
At the York Library, librarians quickly responded to COVID-19 by putting together a guide for researchers looking for information on the pandemic. The online guide offers a number of recommendations on main sources to consider when conducting research on COVID-19.
The new Joan and Martin Goldfarb Art Gallery of York University solidifies York University’s commitment to visual arts. Made possible by a generous $5 million gift from the Goldfarbs, the new gallery will be headed by Jenifer Papararo, newly appointed director/curator. The Goldfarbs are long-time supporters and donors to York University’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design, and their generosity is visible at the Joan and Martin Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts. They hope the new gallery will become a gathering place for people of all walks of life. They want the space to inspire the community to learn about the arts, connect to each other and the world around us, and reimagine the future.
York installed a one-meter telescope at the Allan I. Carswell Observatory in the Faculty of Science, made possible by the generosity of the Carswell Family Foundation. York is now home to the largest telescope on a Canadian campus. The telescope’s larger aperture provides students, astronomers and members of the public a deeper view into space, giving better images of distant galaxies and cosmic objects and making it easier to see Saturn’s rings, the Great Red Spot on Jupiter and the polar caps on Mars. The new telescope will allow York researchers to make astronomical discoveries and provide opportunities for students to directly engage with the telescope and research activities. The telescope is also used for weekly public outreach by the Observatory, making educational programs and exceptional views of the cosmos accessible to all.
